1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electrical device cabinet. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electrical device cabinet having a front panel which is a resin molding.
2. Background Information
FIG. 5 is a simplified vertical cross sectional side view of a front panel 105 employed in a known electrical device cabinet. The front panel 105 is equipped with a convex portion 106 used for positioning the front panel 105 in a lateral direction of the electrical device cabinet. The convex portion 106 is provided at a location in a lateral direction of a bottom plate 155 of the front panel 105. The convex portion 106 is solidly formed by increasing a thickness of the bottom plate 155 at the location.
FIG. 6 is a simplified vertical cross sectional side view of another convex portion 116 formed on the front panel 105 employed in another electrical device cabinet. A recess 161 is formed on a lower face side of the bottom plate 155 of the front panel 105 at the location where the convex portion 116 is formed.
A configuration in which an electrical device cabinet is made up of a chassis, a top cover, and a front panel is known (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-217556 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-136040, for example). The coupling of a front panel and a chassis with an engagement structure is also known (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-324982, for example). Furthermore, research into setting a vertical attachment reference place for a front panel with respect to a front panel attachment frame is known (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. H6-89559, for example).
However, when the convex portion 106 is formed in the way illustrated in FIG. 5, a tiny depression known as a “sink mark” is produced on a lower face 156 of the bottom plate 155 at the location where the convex portion 106 is formed because of shrinkage of the resin molding material. The sink mark becomes a very noticeable flaw in the appearance of the electrical device cabinet.
The occurrence of the above-mentioned sink mark is suppressed if the convex portion 116 is formed in the way illustrated in FIG. 6. Specifically, an increase in the thickness of the front panel 105 at the location of the convex portion 116 is avoided by forming the recess 161. However, since the recess 161 is exposed on an outer face (the lower face) of the front panel 105, the recess 161 becomes a very noticeable flaw in the appearance of the front panel 105 of the electrical device cabinet.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved electrical device cabinet that prevents flaws in its outer appearance. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.